Luxembourg, a small European pearl located between Belgium, France and Germany, can be your ticket to financial prosperity and a high quality of life. Find out who needs a work visa to Luxembourg, how to apply for a work visa and the list of documents required to obtain a work visa in Luxembourg for foreigners

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Luxembourg is becoming increasingly popular among expats due to its high average salary, low crime rate and excellent transport links. Companies such as Amazon, Paypal and Skype have opened their offices here, thereby attracting the interest of workers in the technology sector. Another important industry in Luxembourg is finance, which accounts for 30% of jobs in the country.

Luxembourg is one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world, because about 47% of its population are immigrants. Also, thanks to its good geographical location, the country attracts cross-border workers - about 200,000 citizens of France, Germany and Belgium go to work in Luxembourg every day. Therefore, foreigners make up about 70% of the country's workforce.

However, for employment of a certain category of expats, it is necessary to obtain a visa. Who needs permission before moving and what is the visa procedure? More details below.

Who needs a work visa to Luxembourg?

Citizens of most EU countries, with the exception of Croatia, do not need to obtain a visa before moving to Luxembourg. Also, representatives of member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which includes Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, are exempt from the need to obtain a special permit to work in the Grand Duchy.

Representatives of the rest of the world must obtain a work visa before moving to Luxembourg.

It is worth remembering that Great Britain is no longer part of the European Union, so British people need to go through the same procedures as other non-EU workers to get a job in Luxembourg.

Types of work visas in Luxembourg

Depending on the length of stay, work visas to Luxembourg are divided into:

1. Short-term visa (type C) - allows foreign specialists to stay in the Schengen area for 90 days or a total of 90 days within a 180-day period. This visa is usually used for business trips, meetings, conferences and family visits.

2. A long-term visa (type D) provides a reason to stay in the country for more than 3 months for work, study or permanent residence. This type of permit is usually granted to employees, highly qualified specialists, students and caretakers.

Depending on the type of planned activity, work visas in Luxembourg are divided into:

- Visa for employees or work visa;

- Permit for highly qualified personnel (EU blue card);

- Visa for young Au Pair;

- Work visa for a student;

- Work visas for freelancers, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons;

- Visa for seasonal workers.

An employee visa or a work visa

This type of visa is granted to foreigners who have a job offer from a company in Luxembourg. Most of the applications for this permit are submitted by the employer, so the first step is to find a company that will hire you.

- The procedure for obtaining an employee visa:

An employee visa can only be obtained when there are no candidates for the position in Luxembourg or on the EU labor market.

Therefore, at the first stage, the employer must submit a vacancy to the National Employment Agency - ADEM (in French - Agence pour le développement de l'emploi). If a suitable candidate is not found within 3 weeks, the employer can conclude a contract with an employee who is not a citizen of an EU member state. After obtaining permission from ADEM, the employer and the employee can sign an employment contract.

Next, the employee applies to the Luxembourg consulate and receives a work visa.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining and renewing a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

A maximum visa can be obtained for one year, after which it can be extended for another three years.

Importantly! The worker cannot change jobs without the government's permission before the first visa renewal.

Visa for highly qualified personnel (EU Blue Card)

The procedure for obtaining an EU Blue Card is similar to a visa for employees, but is available only to a certain category of specialists.

- Requirements for issuing an EU blue card

To get a visa, an employee must:

1. Have a highly qualified job offer from a Luxembourg employer.

2. The salary for the vacancy must be 1.5 times higher than the average salary in Luxembourg.

3. Provide confirmation of diplomas and professional qualifications in English, French or German.

- How to arrange?

Similarly with the visa for employees: first the employer submits a vacancy to ADEM, after approval and signing of the employment contract, documents can be submitted to the Luxembourg consulate.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining and renewing a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

The EU Blue Card is valid for 4 years, if the duration of the employment contract is shorter, then for the duration of the contract plus 4 months.

Youth Au Pair Visa

The Au Pair visa is only valid for persons aged 18 to 30 years. You will need an approved host family to apply for this visa.

- Requirements for the applicant

Confirm the availability of basic secondary education, demonstrate knowledge of the spoken language of the host family. Also, the applicant must have at least some knowledge of English, French, German or Luxembourgish.

The foreigner must have a signed placement agreement with the host family and pass a medical examination that confirms that you are able to perform the duties of an Au Pair.

- How to arrange?

Before entering, submit an application to the consulate of Luxembourg.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

The visa has a maximum validity of one year, it cannot be extended or a visa of another category can be obtained.

Work visa for a student

Foreign students studying at one of Luxembourg's universities have the right to work up to 15 hours a week or more during the summer or other holiday periods in any job they choose. It is not necessary to obtain additional permissions for this.

Work visas for freelancers, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons

Foreigners who are freelancers, entrepreneurs, or self-employed individuals must prove that they have the appropriate qualifications and resources to move in order to obtain a visa.

In addition, when you apply for a visa, you will need to show that your business proposal will serve the interests of Luxembourg.

- The cost of the visa

The fee for obtaining and extending a visa is 80 euros.

- Duration of the visa

Valid for 3 years with the possibility of renewal.

Visa for seasonal workers

You can get a seasonal visa only for work that is characterized as a seasonal activity - harvesting, work of tour guides, short-term work in the hospitality industry.

- How to arrange?

To obtain this visa, you will first need a signed seasonal work contract. The procedure is similar to the visa for employees.

- Duration of the visa

A visa for seasonal workers is valid for no more than five months within a total period of 12 months.

Read more about the job search procedure in Luxembourg at the link.

How to apply for a work visa in Luxembourg?

1. After signing the employment contract, the foreigner must apply to the consulate of Luxembourg to obtain a temporary visa to enter the country.

2. Upon arrival in Luxembourg, you must register at the municipal office (Kommune) at your place of residence within 3 working days. Then, within 3 months, you need to apply for a type D work visa.

The procedure includes the following stages:

- Submit a declaration to the local administration to confirm that the person wants to live in this region

- Pass a medical examination.

- Download the official application forms on the Luxembourg Government website.

- Re-apply for a visa if the applicant intends to stay after the visa expires.

Approximate list of documents for obtaining a work visa to Luxembourg

Documents for obtaining a permit are considered by the Department of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg. Usually you need to provide:

1. A copy of a valid foreign passport.

2. Birth certificate.

3. Copies of diplomas and other certificates confirming qualifications.

4. Duly completed resume, short biography and motivation letter.

5. Certificate of no criminal record.

6. A copy of the employment contract and certificate of right to work received from ADEM.

All documents must be translated into one of the following languages - French, German or English.

Moving to Luxembourg with family

If you want to move to Luxembourg with your family, they also need to obtain separate visas.

EU Blue Card holders can apply for a family visa through the family reunification procedure without a waiting period.

Foreign nationals who arrived in Luxembourg on the basis of another work permit must wait 12 months before relocating their family. You will also need to prove that you can provide housing and financially support your own family.

Igor Usyk - Head of Legal Department at Visit World

For safe relocation to Luxembourg, obtaining refugee status and employment, use the advice of an international lawyer. We help to solve complex and simple issues for your comfort and safety in Luxembourg.